Nintendo security teams are working to contain the leaks that involve the launching of the videogame Smash Bros. Ultimate, after digital forensics specialists from the International Information Security Institute reported that the game was on sale in Mexico in advance. In addition, it was reported that pirated copies of the game released online were intercepted by data miners to obtain all the game’s hidden information.

While the game’s official release date is December 7th, some people seem desperate to know all the content that Nintendo has included in the game.

The controversy began last Wednesday when someone posted an image of the alleged packaging of the game for retailers. A few days later, specialists in digital forensics and cybersecurity began to spread the word that the game was being sold in advance and relatively wide by certain retail vendors in Mexico; soon, the pirated versions of the game would begin to appear online.

According to experts in digital forensics, the leaks were caused, in part, by a Nintendo Switch console hacking method, which the company has not been able to patch. This hack allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the device’s system; the situation got worse by the intervention of data miners, who checked the data and codes of the leaked game with hexadecimal editors looking to extract any content that is hiding in the videogame (as a list of characters available in the game, or unlockable elements).

Allegedly, some hackers have managed to develop their own pirated versions of the game and then have them marketed online, although there are also online testimonials stating that these pirated copies can crash a Nintendo Switch console.

Despite the enormous efforts of Nintendo to protect its developments, it seems that its software and hardware are too attractive for hackers to try to bypass the security and anti hacking mechanisms.